1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to automotive door lock devices and more particularly to the automotive door lock devices of a type which includes an electric lock/unlock means controlled by a control switch arranged near a driver's seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, one conventional automotive door lock device will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 to 19.
In these drawings, denoted by numeral 1 is a body of the door lock device, which is mounted to a door of a vehicle. Although not shown in the drawings, a latch plate and a stopper pawl are installed in the container part of the body 1. In fact, in FIG. 17, the container part is positioned at a back side of the sheet on which the drawing is illustrated. The latch plate is engageable with a striker fixed to the vehicle body. In fact, the latch plate has three positions, which are a full-latch position wherein the latch plate is fully or completely engaged with the striker, a half-latch position wherein the latch plate is halfly or incompletely engaged with the striker and a release position wherein the latch plate is disengaged from the striker. Due to function of a biasing means, the latch plate is constantly biased toward the release position. The stopper pawl has two positions, one being a stop position wherein the stopper pawl is engaged with the latch plate to retain the same at the full-latch or half-latch position, and the other being a release position wherein the stopper pawl is disengaged from the latch plate to release the same. Thus, when the stopper pawl takes the release position, the latch plate is permitted to take the release position due to aid of the biasing means. Under this condition, the door can be opened when applied with a certain force in a direction to open the door.
As is shown in FIG. 17, an open lever 2, a release lever 3, a first lock/unlock lever 4 and a second lock/unlock lever 5 are pivotally connected to the body 1. That is, the open lever 2 is secured to a shaft 102 of the stopper pawl thereby to pivot together with the stopper pawl. The release lever 3 is pivotally connected through a pivot shaft 3b to the body 1. A spring 3c is incorporated with the release lever 3 to bias the same to pivot in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 17. The release lever 3 is connected through a connecting rod to an outside door handle ODH. Thus, when the outside door handle ODH is manipulated, the release lever 3 is pivoted in a clockwise direction in FIG. 17 against the force of the spring 3c. The first lock/unlock lever 4 is connected through a connecting rod to a door lock key-cylinder DLKC mounted on an outside part of the door near the outside door handle ODH. That is, when, with the door assuming a close position, the door lock key-cylinder DLKC is turned in a door locking direction by a key, the first lock/unlock lever 4 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction for locking the door to the vehicle body, that is, in a direction to lock or retain the full-latching between the latch plate and the stopper pawl. The second lock/unlock lever 5 is connected to the first lock/unlock lever 4 having a predetermined play kept therebetween. A sub-lever 6 extends between the release lever 3 and the second lock/unlock lever 5.
As is seen from FIG. 18, a base plate 7 is secured to the body 1. An inside lever 8 is pivotally connected through a pivot shaft 8b to the base plate 7, which is connected through a connecting rod to an inside door handle IDH and has an arm portion 8a contactable with an arm portion 3a of the release lever 3 (see FIG. 19). A knob lever 9 is pivotally connected through a pivot shaft 9a to the base plate 7, which is connected through a connecting lever 10 to the second lock/unlock lever 5. That is, pivoting movement of the knob lever 9 is transmitted to the second lock/unlock lever 5. Furthermore, the knob lever 9 is connected through a connecting rod 86 to a door lock knob 14 installed in an inside part of the door and through a connecting rod to an electric actuator ACT operated or controlled by a door lock/unlock switch SW arranged near a driver's seat. Sometimes, such door lock/unlock switch SW is mounted on a console box or an arm rest on the driver's door.
As is seen from FIG. 17, the first and second lock/unlock levers 4 and 5 are pivotally connected to the body 1 through a common pivot shaft 11. Upon manipulation of one of the door lock key-cylinder DLKC, the door lock knob 14 and the door lock/unlock switch SW, the second lock/unlock lever 5 can pivot about the pivot shaft 11 between a lock position as shown in FIG. 17 and an unlock position. Due to biasing force of a spring 12 (see FIG. 18) arranged between the base plate 7 and the knob lever 9, the second lock/unlock lever 5 is biased to pivot toward the lock or unlock position. That is, by the spring 12, the second lock/unlock lever 5 operates in a so-called snap action manner.
As shown in FIG. 17, an upper end of the sub-lever 6 is pivotally connected to the release lever 3, and a lower end of the sub-lever 6 is formed with an arcuate slot 6a with which an arm portion 5a of the second lock/unlock lever 5 is slidably engaged. 5The sub-lever 6 is formed with an actuating arm 6b.
As is seen from FIG. 17, when the second lock/unlock lever 5 assumes the lock position, the actuating arm 6b takes a lock position wherein the actuating arm 6b is not engageable with an engaging lug 2a of the open lever 2, while, when the second lock/unlock lever 5 pivots clockwise to the unlock position, the actuating arm 6b is shifted rightward to an unlock position wherein the actuating arm 6b is engageable with the engaging lug 2a of the open lever 2.
When, with the second lock/unlock lever 5 assuming the unlock position, the outside or inside door handle ODH or IDH is manipulated, the release lever 3 is pivoted in a clockwise direction moving the sub-lever 6 downward and thus the actuating arm 6b of the sub-lever 6 abuts against the engaging lug 2a of the open lever 2 thereby pivoting the open lever 2 in a clockwise direction. With this, the stopper pawl integral with the open lever 6 is pivoted to the release position to disengage the latch plate causing the latter to release the striker. Under this condition, the door can be opened.
While, when, with the second lock/unlock lever 5 assuming the lock position as shown in FIG. 17, the outside or inside door handle ODH or IDH is manipulated and thus the release lever 3 is pivoted in a clockwise direction to move the sub-lever 6 downward, the actuating arm 6b of the sub-lever 6 fails to abut against the engaging lug 2a of the open lever 2. Thus, in this case, the fully latched engagement between the latch plate and the stopper pawl is not cancelled and thus the door can not be opened. That is, the locked condition of the door is kept.
When the door lock/unlock switch SW is manipulated, the electric actuator ACT is operated to pivot the second lock/unlock lever 5 in a direction to lock or unlock the door lock device, that is, in a direction to pivot the sub-lever 6 in the above-mentioned locking or unlocking direction.
However, due to its inherent construction, the above-mentioned conventional automotive door lock device has the following drawback.
That is, when, with the door kept locked to the vehicle body, the driver manipulates the door lock/unlock switch SW in a direction to unlock the door just after a passenger handles the outside or inside door handle ODH or IDH for the purpose of opening the door, it occurs that the pivoting movement of the sub-lever 6 toward the lock canceling direction is obstructed. That is, as is seen from FIG. 19, when the above-mentioned two manipulations take place at substantially the same time, one side edge 6c of the actuating arm 6b of the sub-lever 6 becomes engaged with a side portion of the engaging lug 2a of the open lever 2, preventing the rightward movement of the sub-lever 6 toward the unlock or lock canceling position. This means that the door can not be unlocked even though the driver has manipulated the door lock/unlock switch SW in the direction to unlock the door, and thus, the passenger can not open the door. In this case, for unlocking and opening the door, the driver must manipulates the door lock/unlock switch SW again while asking the passenger to release his or her hand from the outside or inside door handle ODH or IDH.